From Drive-Thrus to Data: How McDonald's Built a Global AI Powerhouse

An AI Adoption Case Study

Hey Adopter,

Let me start with a powerful insight that came directly from the McDonald's AI implementation case study:

"As more and more customers – literally hundreds of millions – join our digital ecosystem, our pricing tools get sharper, our AI models get smarter, our restaurants become easier to operate, and most importantly, the overall customer experience improves."

• Chris Kempczinski, McDonald's CEO

Here's the key insight that really jumped out at me: McDonald's didn't simply throw AI at their problems hoping for magic. Instead, they started with clear business objectives, ran focused pilots, and weren't afraid to pause and refine when things weren't working perfectly. For instance, when their voice AI hit 85% accuracy but wasn't quite good enough for a great customer experience, they didn't force it – they paused to improve rather than compromise on quality.

Executive Summary

This case study examines McDonald's ambitious journey to implement artificial intelligence (AI) across its U.S. operations from 2018 to 2024. The analysis covers the company's strategic initiatives, challenges faced, and lessons learned in deploying AI solutions across drive-thrus, personalization, operations, and customer experience.

Download our 40-page case study PDF and an action guide that poses five critical questions for you to apply in your own organization.